Projectile

ABSTRACT

A projectile including a body having a land segment, a tapered body segment continuous to and extending forward from the land segment and a conical nose segment continuous to and extending forward from the tapered body segment. The projectile may include a tapered tail segment continuous to and extending rearward from the land segment. The conical nose segment may be configured as a conical nose segment. The projectile may include an angular transition between the conical nose segment and the tapered body segment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates generally to projectiles and more specifically to a projectile having a conical nose segment, a tapering neck segment and a land. The projectile may also include a tail segment. The conical nose segment may be configured as a truncated conical segment. The projectile provides a configuration which facilitates penetration of a surface while sustaining trajectory to a primary target.

[0003] 2. Background Art

[0004] Prior art projectiles employed as bullets for firearm rounds include a wide variety of configurations. These may be characterized as generally including a body segment extending and transitioning to the rear to a tail segment and forward to an ogive having a rounded, flat or hollow point. These configurations, while effective for many applications, may be improved upon for those applications where a primary target is positioned behind a penetrable surface positioned between the primary target and a shooter. In these instances, it is of extreme importance that the projectile be capable of maintaining stability of trajectory following impact and penetration of the penetrable surface in order to continue, preferably intact, to the primary target and a predetermined point of impact.

[0005] Instances may arise wherein a primary target is positioned behind a penetrable surface, commonly an opaque surface, including plate glass or laminated glass surfaces. Glass, while being typically characterized as a relatively brittle material is, nevertheless, a relatively hard material. As such, many prior art bullet designs including jacketed bullets and lead and lead compound bullets have a tendency to “mushroom” upon impact, resulting in fragmenting and significant loss of directional stability. Both mushrooming and fragmenting result in a loss of directional stability. In either case, there is a reduced probability that the projectile will continue to the primary target and to a predetermined point of impact and an increased probability of damage to objects or individuals that do not comprise the primary target.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is directed to a projectile having the following design characteristics: a conical nose segment, a tapering neck segment and a land. The projectile may also include a tail segment. The conical nose segment may be configured as a truncated conical segment. A projectile manufactured according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a solid one piece body formed of an impact resistant material having a design configuration including a relatively short conical or truncated conical nose segment. A projectile manufactured according to the present invention and incorporating the above design characteristics exhibits a substantially increased gyroscopic stability factor.

[0007] In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the design geometry results in a substantially increased gyroscopic stability factor calculated employing the formula, gyroscopic stability=the spin rate (in radians per second, squared) times the polar moment of inertia, squared, divided by the pitching moment coefficient derivative per sine of the angle of attack times the transverse moment of inertia times the air density times the velocity squared. It is well known that in order for a bullet to be stable, gyroscopic stability must be greater than 1.0 according to the above formula. Most bullets are manufactured having a gyroscopic stability factor on the order of 1.3 to 4.0. The projectile according to the present invention, has a gyroscopic stability factor on the order of 8-12. Following initial impact with a penetrable surface positioned between the primary target and a shooter, a projectile manufactured according to the present invention is less prone to tumble and therefore will maintain a substantially greater gyroscopic stability resulting in an increased probability that the projectile will continue to a primary target and a predetermined point of impact.

[0008] The projectile, according to the present invention, may be manufactured from a material exhibiting high impact resistance. The projectile may be manufactured employing a variety of processes including casting, forging, sintering or machining. The projectile may be manufactured employing any of a fairly wide variety of relatively high density materials including alloyed coppers, tungsten or tungsten alloys. In one preferred embodiment, machining methods are employed to reduce stock material, a machineable 1915 copper nickel alloy exhibiting high impact resistance, to form a projectile having a desired configuration. A machineable copper nickel alloy exhibiting high impact resistance has been shown to resist fracture and deformation on impact thereby substantially reducing fragmentation of the projectile upon impact with an initial impact with a penetrable surface positioned between the primary target and a shooter. The ability of a material to resist brittle fracture or breakage by flexural shock may be measured and reflected in joules or foot-pound force of impact energy required to fracture a material. The test for determining energy absorbed in fracturing a test piece is conducted at a relatively high velocity. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the projectile is manufactured of an alloy having a Charpy Impact Resistance value in the range of 80-100 ft.-lbs.

[0009] One embodiment of the invention includes a relatively short conical or truncated conical nose segment. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the nose segment is configured as a conical segment including a point. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the nose segment is configured as a truncated conical segment including a substantially flat nose. In either case, the nose segment is configured to deliver relatively high impact energy to the penetrable surface at the point of impact.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the projectile includes a body having a land segment, a tapered body segment continuous to and extending forward from the land segment, and a conical nose segment continuous to and extending forward from the tapered body segment. The conical nose segment may be configured as a truncated conical nose segment. The projectile may include a tapered tail segment continuous to and extending rearward from the land segment. The projectile may include an angular transition between the conical nose segment and the tapered body segment.

[0011] With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a representative side view of a first preferred embodiment of a projectile according to the invention; and

[0013]FIG. 2 is a representative side view of a second preferred embodiment of a projectile according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, projectile 10 is shown including body 11 having land segment 12 and tapered body segment 14 continuous to and extending forward from land segment 12. Conical nose segment 15 is continuous to and extends forward from tapered body segment 14. Projectile 10 is shown including tapered tail segment 13 continuous to and extending rearward from land segment 12. Tapered tail segment 13 terminates at butt 19.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, conical nose segment 15 forms a relatively short nose segment configured as a conical segment including point P. Referring to FIG. 2, conical nose segment 15 forms a relatively short nose segment configured as a truncated conical segment including flat nose F.

[0016] In the embodiments of the invention shown at FIGS. 1 and 2, projectile 10 includes overall length L. Land segment 12 includes length L1 and diameter D1. Tapered body segment 14 includes length L2 and diameter D2. Conical nose segment 15 includes length L3 and, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, is reduced to point P. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, conical nose segment 15 is reduced to point P and then flat nose F is formed. Tapered tail segment 13 includes length L4 and diameter D3 at butt 19.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the length L1 of land segment 12 equals 1 to 1.5 times diameter D1, the length L2 of tapered body segment 14 equals 1.75 to 2.0 times diameter D1 and the length L3 of conical nose segment 15 equals 0.25 to 0.50 times diameter D1. The length L4 of tapered tail segment 13 may equal 0.10 to 1.1 times diameter D1.

[0018] In the embodiments of the invention shown at FIGS. 1 and 2, projectile 10 is shown in a 0.308 caliber. In this embodiment of the invention, formed by machining a solid copper nickel alloy, projectile 10 will have a mass in the range of 160 grains to 210 grains, depending upon nose configuration and length of tapered tail segment 13. Projectile 10, as shown at FIG. 1 includes an overall length L substantially equal to 1.150 inches. Land segment 12 has a length L1 substantially equal to 0.400 inches and diameter D1 substantially equal to 0.308 inches. Tapered body segment 14 has length L2 substantially equal to 0.550 inches and diameter D2 at the transition between tapered body segment 14 and conical nose segment 15 substantially equal to 0.290 inches resulting in body taper 17 substantially equal to 2.08 degrees.

[0019] Tapered tail segment 13 includes length L4 substantially equal to 0.050 inches and diameter D3 at butt 19 substantially equal to 0.290 inches resulting in tail taper 18 substantially equal to 21.80 degrees of taper. Conical nose segment 15 includes length L3 substantially equal to 0.150 and is reduced to point P and includes nose taper 16 at the transition between tapered body segment 14 and conical nose segment 15 substantially equal to 43.85 degrees of taper. The resulting included angle at point P is substantially equal to 87.70 degrees.

[0020] The described configuration results in projectile 10 having a ratio of length L1 over L substantially equal to 0.350, a ratio of length L2 over L substantially equal to 0.480, a ratio of length L3 over L substantially equal to 0.130 and a ratio of length L4 over L substantially equal to 0.045. The described configuration results in projectile 10 having a ratio of length L3 over L2 substantially equal to 0.275 and a ratio of length L1 over L2 substantially equal to 0.730. The described configuration results in projectile 10 having a ratio of diameter D2 over D1 substantially equal to 0.940 and a ratio of diameter D3 over D1 substantially equal to 0.940.

[0021] The described configuration, particularly the relationship of length L1 of land segment 12 to length L3 of tapered body segment 14 and the extent of body taper 17 determine the gyroscopic stability of projectile 10. Body taper 17 should be in the range of 1.5 to 3.0 degrees. As body taper 17 increases beyond this range, gyroscopic stability decreases.

[0022] While this invention has been described with reference to the detailed embodiments, this is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications to the described embodiments, as well as additional embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as fall within the true scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A projectile comprising a body including a land segment, a tapered body segment continuous to and extending forward from the land segment and a conical nose segment continuous to and extending forward from the tapered body segment.
 2. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the conical nose segment further comprises a truncated conical nose segment.
 3. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a tapered tail segment continuous to and extending rearward from the land segment.
 4. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising an angular transition between the conical nose segment and the tapered body segment.
 5. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising an angular transition between the tapered body segment and the land segment.
 6. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the tapered body segment further comprises a taper in the range of 1.0 degrees to 3.0 degrees.
 7. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the tapered tail segment further comprises a taper in the range of 18.0 degrees to 22.0 degrees.
 8. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the conical nose segment further comprises a nose taper in the range of 40.0 degrees to 45.0 degrees
 9. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a ratio of the length of the tapered body segment to the diameter of the projectile in the range of 0.25 to 0.50.
 10. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising a ratio of the length of the tapered tail segment to the diameter of the projectile in the range of 0.10 to 1.10.
 11. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the body further comprises a copper nickel alloy.
 12. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the body further comprises a machineable copper nickel alloy.
 13. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the body further comprises an alloy having a Charpy Impact Resistance value in the range of 80-100 ft.-lbs. 